Navigating solitude: The multiple forms of loneliness experienced by disadvantaged individuals

This article examines the relationship between socialization processes and experiences of solitude among disadvantaged individuals who are targeted by official campaigns against loneliness—a heterogeneous constellation of institutions aiming to combat “problematic” forms of isolation. Solitude is approached here as both a situation and a feeling of “social disconnection,” shaped by contemporary norms of autonomy that require individuals to both embrace and avoid being alone. The investigation reveals that these individuals’ positioning within the landscape of solitude and loneliness ultimately constitute a search for socially legitimate ways of being.